Disposable self-container applicator



United States Patent 3,481,676 DISPOSABLE SELF-CONTAINER APPLICATORGilbert Schwartzman, 20 Wilmot Circle, Scarsdale, N.Y. 10583 Filed Feb.8, 1968, Ser. No. 704,063 Int. Cl. B43k /00, 8/00, 5/04 US. Cl. 401-1346 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to a fluidapplicator and more particularly to a device having an extensive shelflife and .which is disposable after use.

In the past various types of applicators had been devised forapplication of medications, cosmetic preparations, pigments, paints, andpolishes, or other finishes. These applicators usually required thepackaging of the fluid to be applied in a container, after which thecontainer had to be opened with the applicator placed into contact withthe fluid. In the case of medications, this promoted the contaminationof the medications by exposure to the atmosphere, and in the case ofvarious types of pigments and the like, the hands and person of the userwere subject to various stains.

Further, in the past, it had been attempted to provide for disposableapplicators, but these either; required expensive packaging, or ifconstructed inexpensively enough to be used in considerable quantities,very ineflective and generally not of a sterile enough construction forsurgical or other medical purposes.

The present invention contemplates utilizing an entirely sealedcontainer of fluid, which has therefore a very extended sterile shelflife. The container is disposed in a housing having a bellows integrallyformed therewith so that the container may be brought into contact withsuitable container piercing means which also functions to funnel thefluid from the container to an applicator body.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a disposableapplicator that is adapted to provide an extended shelf life for thecontents thereof, which may maintain the contents thereof in a sterilecondition, yet which is easy to use and provided with integrallyconstructed means for piercing the sealed container, which means includea tbellows integrally formed with the housing, which also serve whenusing the applicator as a convenient finger grip for allowing the firmgrasping of the applicator.

Another object of the present invention resides in the provision of anapplication which employs an applicator body of porous urethane foam andwhich is also constructed as to allow for bonding thereof on the stem ofthe applicator in such a manner as to efiicaciously receive the flow offluid thereon when the applicator is in use.

Still further objects and features of this invention reside in theprovision of a disposable applicator that is simple in construction,capable of being utilized to package various types of fluids, which isefficient in use, and inexpensive to manufacture, thereby permittingwide distribution.

3,481,676 Patented Dec. 2, 1969 These, together with the variousancillary objects and features of the present invention, which willbecome apparent as the following description proceeds, are attained bythis disposable self-contained applicator, a preferred embodiment ofwhich is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, by way of exampleonly, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of an applicator constructed inaccordance with the concepts of the present invention, showing theapplicator in the normal position allowing for extended shelf life;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1, but showing the manner in which thepiercing means is actuated by compression of the bellows to permit thepenetration thereof of the container for the funneling of fluid into thestern and valve body;

FIG. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken along the plane of line 33in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a partial sectional detail view showing the manner in whichthe applicator may be used for applying fluid on a surface; and,

FIG. 5 is a partial elevational view of a modified form of theinvention.

With continuing reference to the accompanying drawing wherein likereference numerals designate similar parts throughout the various views,reference numeral 10 generally designates a disposable applicatorconstructed in accordance with the concepts of the present invention.The applicator includes a housing 12, having cylindrical side walls 14and a closed end 16 which may be swaged, spin welded, or otherwisesecured to the side walls 14. As shown in FIG. 5, in lieu of the endwall 16, the bottom end may be crimped as at .17 or otherwise finished.Integrally formed with the side walls 14 and centrally disposed in theside walls 14 is a bellows 18 which extends about the periphery of thecylindrical side walls 14 and permits movement of the end 16 upwardlytoward the stem 20, which is integrally formed with the housing 12. Thestem 20 is also of a cylindrical construction and has a plurality ofdiscrete openings 22 therein opening into the side walls of the stem 20as well as a relatively large end opening 24 communicating with thecentral bore 25. The housing 12 flares into the stem 22 by way of anupwardly extending tapered end wall 26. Extending from the end wall 26and in alignment with the stem 20 is a container piercing means 28 of atruncated conical shape terminating in a circular knife edge 30.Disposed within the container 12 and formed of any suitable material isa discrete container 32 having a suitable fluid such as a medication,cosmetic preparation, shoe polish, paint, lacquer, pigment, or otherlike material disposed therein.

A body 34 of porous urethane foam is molded about the stem 20 andenvelopes the stem 20 and abuts the end wall 26 and is of the samediameter as the housing 12 to form a smooth continuation thereof.

Because the contents of the container 32 are sealed in an air-tight,fluid-tight manner, this applicator has an extended shelf life. When itis desired to utilize the container by placing the end 16 on any surfaceand depressing the upper portion of the housing so as to squeze thebellows in the manner as shown in FIG. 2 and moving the body 34 of thecontainer downwardly as indicated by arrow A, the container will bepunctured by the knife edge. Then, the contents of the container 22 willbe funneled into the stem through the bore 25 thereof and outwardly intothe body 34 in the direction of arrows B and onto the hemispherical head36 of the body 34. A sizeable amount of fluid will also be directed intothe body through the opening 24 in the direction of arrow C.

A latitude of modification, substitution and change is intended in theforegoing disclosure, and in some instances, some features of theinvention will be employed without a corresponding use of otherfeatures. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims beconstrued broadly and in a manner consistent with the spirit and scopeof the invention herein.

I claim:

1. An applicator comprising a housing, a stem portion at one end of saidhousing having a reduced cross sectional dimension, a breakable fluidcontainer in said housing, said stem having a plurality of spacedopenings therethrough, container puncturing means in said housingadapted to penetrate said container, said housing having flexible meansfor permitting said puncturing means to move relative to said container,and a porous resilient body enveloping said stem, said flexible meansincluding a bellows integrally formed as part of said housing.

2. An applicator according to claim 1, wherein said stem is providedwith an enlargement on the end thereof remote from said housing forlocking said body on said stem.

3. An applicator according to claim 1, wherein said body is formed ofporous urethane foam.

'4.'An applicator according to claim 3, wherein said puncturing meansincludes a truncated conical projection terminating in a circular knifeedge, said projection being in alignment with and communicating withsaid stem for UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,299,296 10/1942 Battle 40l1963,324, 855 6/1967 Heimlich 128269 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,299,987 6/1962France.

LAWRENCE CHARLES, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

